Last year there was a huge uproar at my school and all through the state. The community college system (as well as the UC's and CSU's) took budget cuts of couple million dollars. Of course, the first things to go were teachers, programs--we even lost whole departments at my school. This year it is coming again: another 4 Million needs to be dropped from our budget for this fall.
Now, everyone gets it. Times are hard. However, a lot of the frustration and bad blood between students and directors has been justified. Why? Our administrators are making close to $150,000 a year salary. That's pretty close to the salary of our state governor.
Last year we dropped journalism, anthropology, recording arts and film. Teachers across all subjects were 'let go'. We lost a single dean, and a few administrative employees. And these higher-ups?
Took a hit for us of about $1000 dollars from their salary. They now make approximately $149000. All of this, while they are currently constructing a new technology department, a new science building, a new agriculture building, and a new parking lot. (But the about-four-year-old recording and film departments are standing empty.)
I seriously hope I can find some way to afford a private education when I transfer out of here. There are entire groups of students in my classes that had to pick a new major because of all of this--some of them were almost done, too. Priorities definitely need to be reordered around here. Or at least we need to find budgeters that can actually do their job. Not all of our schools are in this mess. There are some SoCal schools just like mine who have been contacted this year to comment on their budget. They're doing just fine. Even had a surplus. What's wrong CA?
If you want to know specific numbers, here's an article from a newspaper in YCCD district:
YCCD bracing for more deep cuts
